01/04/2023
Long before His coming the prophet’s foretold of the Messiah, and yet when He did come to them in Bethlehem, many didn’t repent of their sins nor acknowledge His presence as Emanuel… “God with us”. Now, in this modern age, have we returned once again to that same disbelief, and do we refuse to repent and turn back towards the truth as we should? Much like those who waited long ago for the Messiah to come to them, have we grown weary of waiting and turned our backs on Him too; have we refused to repent of our sins, and no longer acknowledge the presence of God, and His Holy Spirit? If so, we are like one who stands on the mountain, hears the voice of God, then turns to gaze into the valley below. We are missing the restoration that is coming when Jesus returns to resurrect us. Our lack of repentance reveals the lost nature of our souls, and by looking longingly at the easy path downhill rather than the climb ahead of us we deny our redemption and the joy that awaits us in it.
“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.”
Acts 3:19-21 ESV
It is so easy to become comfortable in our sin. The pain and suffering of righteousness that comes when we bend down and shoulder our cross for the journey along that Sorrowful Road, the Via Delarosa, with Jesus as we struggle towards Calvary. Despite His having walked among us, and down this road before, many of us still ignore the truth… that He is our redeemer, and that this is the way to Heaven and eternity.
““And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.”
Acts 3:17-18 ESV
As a little boy living abroad I had to be inoculated for many different diseases and viruses, but I hated shots, and when the needle pierced me I would often cry. Years later as I stood in line to receive my vaccination for COVID-19 I remembered those days, and realized that now, like then, I still didn’t like getting a shot. Then I thought about how this light momentary pain would prevent me much greater suffering and possibly death… and though I winced a bit as the needle pierced my skin I did not complain, and was thankful for that vaccine.
“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,”
2 Corinthians 4:17 ESV
“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
Hebrews 12:11 ESV
When we look at the journey of faith we are contemplating and consider the momentary suffering that it brings, and the patience of waiting on the return of Jesus, we can be tempted to remain on the easy and well-known road of our old lives. It takes trust and faith to walk this way. Some people don’t have that trust, and can’t wait for the fruit that believing in God and having faith in Jesus Christ brings. They are like those who deny the benefit of a proven vaccine that could save them, and simply hope for the unassisted efforts of their body’s immune system. They choose momentary ease and eternal death over momentary suffering and eternal life… which of these do we choose?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the lessons of faith that come in the momentary times of our suffering and open our eyes to the eternity before us. Thank you for helping us in our unbelief and giving us the patience and strength of faith that is required as we wait on you. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who works all things together for good to those who love you. Praised be your name for every time we suffer for you because in so doing we are led to a deeper faith in the process. Merciful are you who counts our suffering in minutes, days, and years, yet gives us joy and peace forevermore… in eternity with you. Hear us as we repent Father, and wash away our sin with the blood of Jesus. Transform us as we suffer through the momentary trials of life, and make us indistinguishable from Jesus by our earthly suffering so that when we stand before you in judgement you will count us among the saints. In this way find us worthy, and seat us at your Holy Table for all eternity. Praised be your name Father, and all glory be to you without beginning or end… for our momentary suffering will have become our eternal life.
Rich Forbes